Process for removing the edible meats from crustacea tails



Dec. 7, 1965 R. F. coURET 3,221,363

PROCESS FOR REMOVING THE EDIBLE MEATS FROM CRUSTACEA TAILS OriginalFiled Jan. 123, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 u c o m E o 2925 2925 2925 292529.25 2925 R 8 29523 2.2995952 @z zm @2292592 @252% n 2m: Smm E mm UEE@[IDD DDD@ @2231@ BY/W Dec. 7, 1965 R. F. COURET 3,221,363

PROCESS FOR REMOVING THE EDIBLE MEATS FROM CRUSTACEA TAILS originalFiled Jan. la, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.2.

INVENTOR Robert E Couret MM. BY 3 7W ATTORNEYS Dec. 7, 1965 R. F. coURET3,221,363

PROCESS FOR REMOVING THE EDIBLE MEATS FROM CRUSTACEA TAILS 9Sheets-Sheet Original Filed Jan. 18, 1965 WATER LINE T0 CORING DEVICEmvENToR Robert F. Couret ATTORNEYS R. F. COURET Dec. 7, 1965 PROCESS FORREMOVING THE EDIBLE MEATS FROM CRUSTACEA TAILS 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 OriginalFiled Jan. 1S, 1963 INVENTOR Roben` E Couret ATTORNEYS Dec. 7, 1965 R.F. coURET 3,221,363

PROCESS FOR REMOVING THE EDIBLE MEATS FROM CRUSTACEA TAILS rO 4x I I IINVENTOR Robert F. Couret BY WM,

ATTORNEYS Dec. 7, 1965 R. F. COURET 3,221,363

PROCESS FOR REMOVING THE EDIBLE MEATS FROM CRUSTACEA TAILS OriginalFiled Jan. 18, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG.6.

INVENTOR Robert E Couret ATTORNEYS Dec. 7, 1965 R F. COURET 3,221,363

PROCESS FOR REMOVING THE EDIBLE MEATS FROM CRUSTACEA TAILS originalFiled Jam. 1963 9 Sheetsrsheet 7 INVENTOR Robert E Couret ATTORNEYS Dec.7, 1965 R, F, COURET 3,221,363

PROCESS FOR REMOVING THE EDIBLE MEATS FROM CRUSTACEA TAILS OriginalFiled Jan. 18, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 CLAM PRAWN RESTRAIN +3OP.S.|.

l K\ +30 PS1. CLAMP REMOVED MEAT PARTlALLY REMOVED ylll//l/l FROM SHELLSHELL BLOWN FREE OF MEAT FIG.II.

AND TUBE l2 i STRIP PLATE TUBE RETRACTED wlTH NEGATNE PRESSURE TO DEVEINWHILE STRIPPING MEAT FROM TUBE /77 CLAMP TAIL FlNs CLAMP REMOVED INVENTOR ATTORNEYS R. F. COURET Dec. 7, 1965 PROCESS FOR REMOVING THEEDIBLE MEATS FROM CRUSTACEA TAILS 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Original Filed Jan.18, 1965 INVENTOR Roberi F.Couret ATTORNEYS United States Patent O3,221,363 PRDCESS FR REMOVING THE EDIBLE MEA'IS FROM CRUSTACEA 'IAILSRobert F. Couret, New rleans, La., assignor, by mesue assignments, toThe Laitram Corporation, New Orleans, La., a corporation of LouisianaOriginal application Jan. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 252,530. Di-

vided and this application Nov. 5, 1964, Ser. No.

This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 252,530,tiled January 18, 1963, which is a continuation-in-part of myapplication, Serial No. 65,455, tiled October 27, 1960.

The present invention relates to process for removing the edible meatsfrom crustacea tails, and has for an object to provide a method forremoving the edible meat from the Dublin Bay prawn known as Nephropsnorvegz'ca and which is comercially known as scampi.

The prawn has an exceptionally hard shell unlike the soft and pliableshell on shrimp and which shell has sharp razor-like edges and isexceptionally diieult to peel manually. When manual peeling of thisprawn has been attempted in the past it has been time-consuming and thehands of the peeler have frequently been cut.

The prawn has a very delectable and edible meat when the meat is removedintact from the shell. Because of the rigid armor-like shell, subjectingthe prawn to a rolling nip or squeezing action to eject the meattherefrom has not been a satisfactory solution and in effect results ina multilated meat.

The prawn contains a large vein or mid-gut down the center of its backinwardly of the outer surface of the meat and de-veining the prawn hasbeen another problem. I have found that the prawn can be de-veined whilethe meat is still in the prawn shell by boring adjacent to the vein tosever the vein from contact with the shell and upon completion of theboring, applying a negative pressure or suction to the hollow bore ofthe boring instrument to draw off the severed vein from the meat.

When the prawn has been de-Veined, I have found the prawn meat to beejected from the shell by applying iiuid pressure internally of theprawn shell in the telson area generally within the last two joints ofthe prawn tail. The uid under pressure in view of the extreme hardnessof the shell builds up a back pressure against the shell between themeat and shell and when a suiiicient pressure is applied, the tiuidunder pressure combined with the reaction thrust of the fluid ejects theprawn meat completely from the shell leaving an unmutilated,eye-appealing, commercially desirable, fully peeled and de-veined meat.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a process ofde-veining and removing the prawn mea-t from the shell on a continuousbasis, automatically without the need for human effort to insert theboring instrument for removal of the vein or the need for humaninsertion of the fluid pressure means for causing the meat to be ejectedfrom the shell a suitable distance to facilitate mechanical segregationof edible meats and shells when discharged from apparatus.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be morefully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed outin the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of one form of apparatus which may beemployed in the practice of the process of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the machine of FIGURE l.

3,221,363 Patented Dec. 7, 1965 FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary transversesection taken at a magnified scale through the machine having partsshown in section and in dotted lines at the vein boring station.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary transverse section taken at a magnified scalethrough the machine at the meat ejection station with the lluid pressureneedle in the retracted position.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 taken at a magnified scaleshowing the uid injection needle in the thrust operation position.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary transverse section taken through the machineat a magnified scale at one of the belt edge positioning stations.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the machine of theforegoing tigures showing the second belt edge positioning station andthe meat ejection station.

FIGURE 8 is a -schematic view of a modied method of removing the ediblemeat and mid-gut or vein from a prawn in accordance with the presentinvention showing the prawn in position to receive the operatinginstrument.

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 8 with the instrument inserted inthe prawn.

FIGURE 10 lis a view similar to FIGURE 9 With the application ofpressure to the needle showing the meat partially removed frorn theshell.

FIGURE 1l is a view similar to FIGURE 10 showing vthe meat completelyremoved from the shell and the shell being blown away from the ediblemeat.

FIGURE 12 is a view similar to FIGURE 11 showing the edible meat afterremoval from the shell being removed from the instrument.

FIGURE 13 is a schematic view of a modified method of removing theedible meat from the prawn with the aid of a tail clamp device and afluid injection needle.

FIGURE 14 is a view similar to FIGURE 13 with the edible meat shownremoved from the shell and the shell shown removed from the clamp.

FIGURE 15 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through a crustaceatail illustrating the tunnel or canal occupied by the vein or mid-gut.

lFIGURE. 6 is a similar View showing the introduction of a hollowimplement or probe into the tunnel beside the vein under approximatelyzero pressure.

FIGURE 17 is a similar view showing the partial withdrawal of the hollowimplement or probe tube under negative pressure to suck the vein outthrough the tube.

FIGURE 18 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 18-18 of FIGURE15, showing the meat mass, tunnel and vein as the same exists in nature.

FIGURE 19 is a diagrammatic View of the tube indicating in anexaggerated way for -clearness the path of the rotary movement of thecurved end of the tube.

The process of t-he present invention may be practiced by hand ormanually in which event the operator would grasp the prawn tail havingthe meat within the shell in one hand and with the other hand he wouldinsert a coring device to separate the vein from the prawn shell.Thereafter the operator with the meat Istill in the shell wouldintroduce a ud pressure means which may be in the form of a needleconnected to a uid pressure supply through the shell at its closed endand referred to generally as the telson at a point within the last twojoints of the telson section.

The operator would then release a blast of iluid pressure in the uidline whereby the iluid pressure would pass through the needle into theprawn tail and by reaction thrust between the duid under pressure, theprawn shell and the meat, the meat would be ejected in a whole andun-mutilated state from the shell. I have found that satisfactoryejection of the meat from the shell is obtained with a Huid pressureranging from 12 to 60 p.s.i. gauge.

While the process may be practiced by hand and a satisfactory endproduct obtained, I have devised a form of apparatus for automaticallyhandling a large number of prawn in a series of step-by-step operationseliminating the dangers to the operator of handling the sharp prawnshells, the coring instrument and the fluid pressure needle.

In the form of apparatus illustrated, referring particularly to FIGURE1, the machine comprises generally an endless belt which is continuouslydriven from the left to the right-hand side of FIGURE 1 and along whichbelt are provided a plurality of stations. A loading station 21 isprovided at the left-hand side of the machine where prawn are laidacross vthe belt side-by-side. When the belt is advanced from left toright in vFIGURE 1, the prawn are presented to a spacing station 22which spaces the prawn along the length of the belt for the particulartimed relationships of operations which will thereafter be imposed uponthe prawn.

As the belt continues to advance to the right in FIG- URE 1, the prawnare presented to a rst belt positioning station 23 where the prawn arevbrought across the belt so that their open ends are brought against astop at the edge of the belt. As the belt continues advancing totheright the thus positioned prawn is then presented to the de-veiningstation 24 where a coring device enters the open end of the prawn tailand severs the mid-gut or vein from the prawn meat and shell and atwhich station the thus severed vein is also removed. The prawn thenadvances to a second belt positioning station 25 Where the prawn arepushed over to the opposite edge of the belt so that the tail or telsonsections of the prawn partially overlie the edge of the belt 20. As thebelt continues to move to the right, the prawn are introduced to themeat ejection station 26 where the prawn shell is first mechanicallygrasped and restrained and a fluid pressure needle is then inserted inthe telson section of the prawn shell and pressure is applied to ejectthe prawn meat from the shell.

Referring for the moment to FIGURES 1 and 2, the machine comprises aframe 27 which consists of a pair of top channel section supports 28 and29 joined by cross members at their ends and a lower channel supportbeam structure 30, 31. Journalled in the frame is Ia cam drive shaft 32,which shaft is driven by a chain 33 which received rotary power from amotor 34. As seen best in FIGURE 1 the shaft 32 through bevel gears 35and 36 drives a shaft 37 which through a chain and sprocket drive 38drives a drum or friction roller 39.

The pair of drive drums 39 and 40 are journalled in the machine frameover which the endless-belt 20-is carried tautly to be driven uponrotation of the drum 39 by actuation of the chain drive 38. The journalsfor the drum 4) are provided with an automatic slack take-up means 41 tokeep the stainless steel endless belt 20 taut about the drums 39 and 40.

Carried by the frame member 28 in guide supports for verticalreciprocation by engagement of the base of the member with its operatingcam carried by the cam shaft 32 are spacer member 42, belt positioningstop 43, prawn grasping and retaining means for deveining 44, a secondprawn belt positioning stop device 45 and a prawn engaging device 46 forrestraining the prawn when fluid pressure is injected within the shell.

The foregoing movements are vertical and all can be described asoperating in substantially the same manner except for the height controlof the cams, each operating in a Vertical sense falling by gravity andbeing raised by a cam lobe. The cam shaft 32 also controls threeelements which have a side or swinging motion. These elements are theprawn belt edge positioning member 47, the prawn belt edge repositioningmember 48 and a coring device 49. The coring head 49 is advanced in adirection toward the .belt 20 and away from the belt 20, viewing 'FIGURE1.

'Ehe coring head assembly 49 is best shown in FIGURE 3 and consists of aslidable head carriage 50 connected through a flexible lead 51 to avacuum chamber 52 which has a vacuum maintained therein at all times bya vacuum pump. To support the slide head 50 is a bearing 53 and a drivepulley 54 driven by a feed belt drive 55 from a pneumatic or electricmotor 56. Extending forwardly of the bearing is a coring guide 57 for acoring member 58 extending therefrom which member 58 passes through anopening in a positioning member 59 to permit entry of the coring member58 into a prawn 60. The rotary shaft 57 and coring member 58 havetherebetween a supply of water to wash and lubricate the inner and outersurface of the coring member 58 which is of hollow plastic tubeconstruction to facilitate its entry into the prawn meat about the vein.As shown in FIGURE 3, when the cam shaft 32 has rotated to the dottedline position, the coring drive arm 61 under the influence of springs 62is moved from the solid line position in FIGURE 3 to the dotted lineposition whereby the slidable assembly is then moved to the dotted lineposition shown in FIGURE 3 at which time the rotatable hollow tubecoring member 58 bores its way into the prawn about the vein, severingthe vein from contact with the meat, and its end attachment to theshell.

When the boring operation has been completed, the vacuum chamber 52 isopened pulling a vacuum on the exible lead 51 through the head 50,support member 57 and the coring member 58 to withdraw the severed veinfrom the prawn meat.

A first prawn engaging member 63 descends upon and restrains the prawn60 prior to introduction of the coring member 58 into the prawn meat.Predicated by the sizes of individual prawns, member 63 also guidespositioning member 59 to the proper point for introduction of coringmember 58.

Each of the other two members which partake of a swinging movement, thatis the prawn belt edge positioning members 47 and 48, is pivoted to oneside of the cam shaft 32 and as ,shown in FIGURE 6, the prawnpositioning member 47 originates in the solid line position and uponrotation of the cam shaft 32 and under the influence of a spring 64 themember 47 is moved from the solid line position to the dotted lineposition in FIG- URE 6. The prawn is moved from the solid line positionto the dotted line position up against a stop member 65 carried by thebelt edge positioning member 43. The prawn is now in a position to beadvanced to the coring station; that is, with the open end of its shellready to receive the coring member 58.

Operating in a reverse manner as shown in FIGURE 7 is the `belt edgerepositioning member 48 which pushes the cored prawn from the coringedge of the belt across the belt 20 to its opposite edge until thetelson of the prawn tail engages a limit stop 66 carried on the secondprawn be'lt positioning member 45.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 and 5, the details of the structure formingthe meat ejection station will now be described. Secured to the channelmember 31 is an angle member 67 having a pneumatic cylinder 68 securedthereto. A piston 69 of the pneumatic cylinder carries a fluid pressureshell inserting hollow needle 76 having a beveled leading edge 71. Theleading edge of the needle passes through a guide 72. When the prawnengaging device 46 descends from the dotted line position to the solidline position of FIGURE 4 and a prawn restraining member 46*1 engagesthe prawn 60 with the telson or tail end of the prawn partiallyoverhanging the endless belt 20, the plunger or piston 69 is drivenforwardly, as seen in FIGURE 5, causing the needle 74B to enter thetelson area of the prawn 60 at which time a blast of fluid pressure ispassed through the line 73, through the needle 70 and to the interior ofthe prawn shell.

At this time a pressure will be built up in the shell causing a swellingof the shell and a compaction of the prawn meat until the pressurewithin the shell blasts or expels the prawn meat from the shell againsta stop plate 74. The peeled or ejected meat 69a is at this time free ofthe prawn shell and the operation upon the prawn has been completed.

As shown best in FIGURE 7 a prawn which has just been cored is beingmoved. to the right in FIGURE 7 and the second belt edge positioningmember 48 has just pushed a cored unpeeled prawn against a limit stop 66carried by the belt edge limit stop member 45.

The member l5 under the influence of cams carried by the cam shaft 32when the positioning of the prawn has been completed with respect to theedge of the belt will elevate and permit the belt to move the prawn fromthe position between the members 45 and 46. When the prawn hastravelled. on the belt 20 a distance to place it beneath the prawngripping member 45a the member 46 descends upon the prawn to restrainand positively engage the same during the rapid insertion of the needle70 and the blast of air or fluid into the shell to expel the prawn meat66a therefrom.

Gripping member 46a then releases empty shell 60 on near edge of belt20, whereas meat 60a was blown to the opposite edge of belt 20 whichpermits a suitable distance of separation of meat and shell on belt Z0for ease of mechanical segregation of meat and shell when dischargedfrom belt.

It will, of course, be appreciated by those skilled in the art thattiming and triggering means may be provided and interlocked with themechanical structure to apply the source of vacuum to the 4coring memberwhen the coring member has fully penetrated the prawn. In a similarmanner it will be apparent that limit switches and appropriate solenoidcontrolled circuitry are applied to the device to cause the plunger 69to drive the needle 70 into the telson section of the prawn when theprawn is in position and the prawn engaging member 46 and 46a havedescended upon the prawn, and that further controls can be provided whenthe plunger is moved from the position of FIGURE 4 to that positionshown in FIGURE 5. At this time fluid pressure will be applied to theline '73 to inject air or other fluid under pressure into the prawnshell. All timing and sequence of vacuum and air pressure systems areunder synchronized operation of cam actuated solenoid switches andvalves under the supervisory control of cam shaft 32.

I have found in practice that the fresher the prawn from the water, thehivher the pressure that can be used to eject the meat from the shell.The prawn shells when subjected to high pressures have a rupturecharacteristic which is a function of age; that is to say, generally theolder the prawn, the time interval between the prawn being taken fromthe water and subjected to the pressure of this invention, the morebrittle the shell segment connecting the membranes become, and pressureshave to be maintained in the lower range when operating upon olderprawn.

I have also found as satisfactory a pressure operating range from 12 to60 p.s.i. but this pressure is variable with the age of the prawn, thesize of injecting needle, and angle of needle to axis of prawn tail. Ihave found also that the natural lubricants are lost with cold storageand that fresh prawn eject easier than older .prawn or those kept incold storage.

I have found that the temperature of the prawn when the air is injectedinto the shell for most satisfactory results will range from 34 to 80Fahrenheit.

I have also found that previously frozen prawn boiled for minutes andchilled in 70 F. water may be deveined and ejected by the above methodsbut that the higher fluid pressure (35 to 80 p.s.i.) was required forejection and de-Veining was not always complete.

I have also found that when working with the coring device which is awater lubricated member that rotary motion is not only desirable toenter and remove the vein from contact with the rneat and shell but thatby rotat- 56 ing during withdrawal of the coring member the vein is morethoroughly removed.

The system illustrated for ejecting the meat from the prawn shell is apneumatic system in which a blast of air is introduce between the meatand the shell. However, I have found water under pressure also operablefor this purpose.

I have found also that the closer the needle is inserted into the shellto the anus the better the result.

A further modified method of removing the edible meats from the prawntail sections is illustrated in FIG- URES 8-14 in which the prawn isplaced upon a table, belt or any suitable stationary surface and isrestrained against such surface by a clamp and a strip plate is providedhaving an opening therethrough for passage of a rotating tube or hollowneedle instrument 58a which is inserted through the opening in the stripplate and then is inserted into the prawn in such manner that the hollowneedle enters the meat in a space adjacent to the mid-gut, or otherwiseenvelops and surrounds the mid-gut or vein to be removed.

The needle 58a is inserted into the prawn as shown in FIGURE 9 until thelast section of the prawn tail is reached, this being called the telsonsection. As shown in FIGURE 10 a fluid pressure is applied to the needlewhich builds a pressure up within the shell and tends to eject the prawnmeat from the open end of the shell and as shown in FIGURE 10, this meatis starting to become disassociated from the shell.

When sufficient pressure has been built up and the shell and meat beginto separate, the clamp is removed from engagement with the prawn and theprawn shell is completely expelled from the meat which remains upon theneedle as shown in FIGURE 11,

When the shell has been expelled from the meat and the meat is to beremoved from the needle a negative pressure or vacuum is applied to thehollow needle which causes the vein to be drawn through the needle andremoved from the edible prawn meat as shown in FIG- URE 12.

The strip plate then acts to remove the meat from the needle uponwithdrawal of the needle to the left in FIG- URE 12.

This process may be further modified with the use of a clamp meanshaving jaws to prohibit rupturing of the telson section of the shell.When the meat has been removed from the shell, the clamp jaws arereleased from the telson section and the meat is removed from the needlein a manner similar to that of FIGURE 12.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 15 to 17 inclusive the implement58b is a flexible hollow blunt-ended circular tube or probe which isinserted in the shell-olf end of the exposed meat. The probe tube entersthe meat in the hollow tunnel or canal provided by nature to contain thevein in its fully expanded condition. This is the path of leastresistance for the probe tube to traverse the meat in a longitudinaldirection.

The probe tube 58lo enters the shell-off end and follows a path next to,or longitudinally adjacent to, the vein until the blunt end of the probetube reaches the last segment or telson end of the shell near the anus.The tube is preferably rotated, as by means shown in FIGURE 3 or othermeans.

During the operation of such insertion, as shown in FIGURE 16, neitherpositive nor negative uid pressure is introduced to the probes hollowinterior, and the vein or cord is not necessarily engulfed by the hollowprobe 58h, but rather lies next to the probe tube and shares the spaceor tunnel in the meat mass together with the probe tube.

When the probe tube is driven all the way home the blunt end of thetube, still under rotation, ruptures the attachment of the vein or cordto the telson end of the hard shell segment by physically abrading orsevering the vein at said point of attachment. During or after thisabrading operation the outer end of the probe tube 58b is connected witha source of partial vacuum. As soon as the rotating probe tube begins towithdraw from the meat, its inner open end is exposed to the severedinner end of the vein and the negative pressure thereupon induces theinner end of the vein to be drawn within the inner end of the interiorof the hollow probe tube.

As probe tube, still rotating and under partial vacuum, is slowlywithdrawn from the meat, the vein which lies adjacent to the probe isprogressively twisted by the rotating action of the probe tube, which inturn progressively detaches the vein from whatever slight adhesion itmay have with the edible meat, and conveys the vein through the probeinto a suitable container provided for the purpose.

This action not only removes the vein, but also vacuum cleans the veintunnel of all foreign matter or small particles of edible meat which mayhave been detached from the main mass or bulk of edible meat. Thiscleaning action improves the market value of the edible meats.

As the leading tip of the probe tube is blunt, liexible and notprecisely axially straight and true running, the rotating action of theprobe tube 58h causes the tip to sweep an erratically circular pathwhich, upon entry into meats, guides the probe tip through the meatsinto the area or path of least resistance and providing the leastpossible mutilation to meat and vein, and also upon its retraction frommeats, rotation and erratic tip action completely sweeps and vacuumcleans the entire canal or tunnel within the meats interior cavity.

The sequence and method of vein removal is similar whether meats areencased by shell or not.

FIGURE 19 shows that at its tip end the probe tube 58h is slightlycurved in an axial direction. On rotation this end will thereforedescribe the erratic circular path referred to. v

After the probe tube, by its action, severs the attachment of the veinfrom the shell, and before the withdrawing action of the probe tube andbefore the application of negative pressure to the probe tube, apositive pressure, such as indicated in FIGURE l0, may be appliedthrough the probe tube to build up a pressure in the shellon end tothereby drive the meat out of the shell or yto blow the shell of themeat. Then the probe tube may be slowly withdrawn from the meat undervacuum, as shown in FIGURES 17 and 12, to de-Vein while stripping themeat from the tube.

While the particular form of machine illustrated as an example of theinvention shows the de-veining operation as performed prior to theshelling or peeling, the order could conceivably be reversed and theseoperations may be performed in any order.

FIGURE 16 shows the rotating hollow tube connectible by suitable valvearrangement selectively with sources of iiuid under positive pressureand under negative pressure or vacuum.

The tubular implement may be inserted in the vein tunnel by hand and atsuitable times manually rotated as when the leading end of the tube isdriven home at the telson end of the tail to free the inner end of th-eVein from the shell and when withdrawing the tube; or the tubularimplement may be rotated by machine power as illustrated moreparticularly in FIGURE 3.

Although I have disclosed herein the best form of the invention known tome at this time, I reserve the right to all such modifications andchanges as may come within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The process for recovering edible meats by a tubular implement fromsubject crustacea having hard shells in which sections of the subjectshave shell-on end and side portions and shell-off opposite yend portionsexposing the meat masses at these shell-off portions only, the shellsotherwise deiining internal ,coniined areas filled with the meat massesthrough which run tunnels containing veins, which comprises (a)inserting the implement through the tunnel proceeding from the shell-offexposed portion until the leading end reaches the telson portion,

(b) rotating the implement to sever the attachment of the vein to theshell at the telson portion, and

(c) withdrawing the implement while subjecting the interior thereof tonegative pressure to suck the vein through the implement with the innerend of the vein leading.

2. rlhe process of recovering edible meats from subject crustacea asclaimed in claim I, further comprising (d) rotating the implement duringwithdrawal to twist the vein and break whatever slight adhesion the veinmay have to the surrounding meat mass.

3. The process for recovering edible meats by a tubular implement fromsubject crustacea having hard shells in which sections of the subjectshave shell-on end and side portions and shell-olf opposite end portionsexposing the meat masses at these shell-01T portions only, the shellsotherwise defining internal conned areas filled with the meat massesthrough which run tunnels containing veins, which comprises (a) drivingthe implement while under rotation proceeding from the shell-off exposedportion through the tunnel beside the vein,

(b) so that the vein is twisted about the implement and the adhesion ofthe vein to the meat broken,

(c) subjecting the follower end of the implement to a source of vacuum,and

(d) withdrawing the implement slowly to suck the vein through thetubular implement with the inner end of the vein leading.

4. The process for recovering edible meats by a tubular implement fromsubject crustacea having hard shells in which sections of the subjectshave shell-on end and side portions and shell-off opposite end portionsexposing the meat masses at these shell-off portions only, the shellsotherwise dening internal confined areas filled with the meat ymassesthrough which run tunnels containing veins, which comprises (a)inserting the tubular implement through the tunnel proceeding from theshell-off exposed portion,

('b) rotating the implement to break the adhesion of the inner end ofthe vein to the telson shell portion,

(c) subjecting the follower end of the tubular implement to a source ofiiuid under pressure delivered through the leading tip of the implementto the area within the shell-on end for driving the shell off the meat,

(d) withdrawing the implement through the tunnel while rotating the sameto twist the vein about the implement to break the adhesion of the veinto the meat, and

(e) subjecting the follower end of the implement to vacuum as it iswithdrawn from the tunnel to suck the detached vein out through thetubular implement with the inner end of the vein leading.

5. The process for recovering edible meats by a tubular implement fromsubject crustacea having hard shells in which sections of the subjectshave shell-on end and side portions and shell-olf opposite end portionsexposing the meat masses at these shell-off portions only, the shellsotherwise defining internal confined areas filled with the meat massesthrough which run tunnels containing veins, which comprises (a)inserting the tubular implement through the tunnel beside the vein untilthe leading tip end of the implement arrives at the telson portion ofthe shell,

(b) introducing uid under pressure to the follower end of the tubularimplement so that such fluid pressure is delivered to the confined areasbetween the meat masses and the shell-on end portions of the sections tobuild up in such conned areas progressively increasing pressures ofvolumetrically er1- larging bodies of pressurized fluid,

(c) driving the meat masses by said fluid bodies guided by the shell-onside portions out of the shell-off end portions,

(d) so that the meat mass iS supported on the implement,

(e) subjecting the interior of the tubular implement to a negativepressure While withdrawing the same to suck out the vein through theimplement with the 10 inner end of the vein leading, and

(f) at the same time stripping the meat from the implement.

6. The process for removing by a tubular implement sand veins from thetunnels containing same in shrimp meat masses Which comprises (a)driving the implement through the tunnel beside the vein,

(b) rotating the implement to break the adhesion of the vein to themeat,

1@ (c) subjecting the interior of the implement to a source of vacuum,and (d) withdrawing the implement to suck the vein through the tubularimplement with the inner end of the vein leading.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,110,926 11/1963 Martin 17-2 FOREIGN PATENTS 145,140 2/1952 Australia. 150,306 2/195 3 Australia. 152,436 7/ 1953 Australia.

SAMUEL KOKEN, Primary Examiner.

LUCIE H. LAUDENSLAGER, Examiner.

1. THE PROCESS FOR RECOVERING EDIBLE MEATS BY A TUBULAR IMPLEMENT FROMSUBJECT CRUSTACEA HAVING HARD SHELLS IN WHICH SECTIONS OF THE SUBJECTHAVE SHELL-ON END AND SIDE PORTIONS AND SHELL-OFF OPPOSITE END PORTIONSEXPOSING THE MEAT MASSES AT THESE SHELL-OFF PORTIONS ONLY, THE SHELLSOTHERWISE DEFINING INTERNAL CONFINED AREAS FILLED WITH THE MEAT MASSESTHROUGH WHICH RUN TUNNELS CONTAINING VEINS, WHICH COMPRISES (A)INSERTING THE IMPLEMENT THROUGH THE TUNNEL PROCEEDING FROM THE SHELL-OFFEXPOSED PORTION UNTIL THE LEADING END REACHES THE TELSON PORTION, (B)ROTATING THE IMPLEMENT TO SEVER THE ATTACHMENT OF THE VEIN TO THE SHELLAT THE TELSON PORTION, AND (C) WITHDRAWING THE IMPLEMENT WHILESUBJECTING THE INTERIOR THEREOF TO NEGATIVE PRESSURE TO SUCK THE VEINTHROUGH THE IMPLEMENT WITH THE INNER END OF THE VEIN LEADING.